I2C-bus interface with parallel operational mode

Abstract

An electronic circuit has an interface for an I 2 C-bus. The interface comprises a first node for a clock line of the I 2 C-bus; a second node for a data line of the I 2 C-bus; and an I 2 C-bus controller for controlling an operation of the interface under combined control of the clock line and the data line. The circuit has a plurality of further nodes for connecting to a plurality of further data lines. The controller has an operational mode for control of receiving from the further nodes, or for control of supplying to the further nodes, a plurality of data bits in parallel under combined control of the clock line and the data line.

1. An electronic circuit with an interface for an I 2 C-bus, wherein the interface comprises:
 a first node for a clock line of the I 2 C-bus; 
 a second node for a data line of the I 2 C-bus; 
 an I 2 C-bus controller for controlling an operation of the interface under combined control of the clock line and the data line; and 
 a plurality of further nodes for connecting to a plurality of further data lines; and wherein the controller has an operational mode for control of receiving from the further nodes, or for control of supplying to the further nodes, a plurality of data bits in parallel under combined control of the clock line and the data line. 
 
     
     
       2. The circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a parallel register having a plurality of terminals; and 
 means for connecting the plurality of the terminals to the first and further nodes under control of the controller. 
 
     
     
       3. The circuit of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a shift register connected to the second node, and 
 wherein the means for connecting is operative to selectively connect the terminals to the shift register or to the further nodes. 
 
     
     
       4. The circuit of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is operative to control the means for connecting all of the plurality of terminals either to the first and further nodes, or to the shift register. 
     
     
       5. Software stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium in an I 2 C-bus controller in an electronic circuit with an interface for an I 2 C-bus, wherein
 the interface comprises a first node for a clock line of the I 2 C-bus, a second node for a data line of the I 2 C-bus, and a plurality of further nodes for connecting to a plurality of further data lines; 
 the I 2 C-bus controller is operative to control an operation of the interface under combined control of the clock line and the data line; and 
 the software has instructions for control of receiving from the further nodes, or for control of supplying to the further nodes, a plurality of data bits in parallel under combined control of the clock line and the data line. 
 
     
     
       6. The software of  claim 5 , the instructions being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium in the electronic circuit. 
     
     
       7. The software of  claim 5 , wherein the instructions are for control of receiving and supplying the data bits in parallel over further data lines on the I 2 C-bus. 
     
     
       8. The software of  claim 5 , wherein the instructions control the communication of data bits in parallel under the combined control of the clock line and the data line over the further data lines on the I 2 C-bus, in accordance with a protocol for communicating on the I 2 C-bus. 
     
     
       9. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of further nodes are configured and arranged to communicate via the plurality of further data lines on the I 2 C-bus. 
     
     
       10. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured and arranged to control the communication of data bits in parallel under the combined control of the clock line and the data line over the further data lines on the I 2 C-bus, in accordance with a protocol for communicating on the I 2 C-bus. 
     
     
       11. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured and arranged to control the communication of data bits in parallel on the I 2 C-bus over the data line via the second node and over a further data line via a further node, in accordance with a protocol for communicating on the I 2 C-bus. 
     
     
       12. The circuit of  claim 11 , further comprising a parallel register having a plurality of terminals coupled to the second and further nodes and configured and arranged for communicating data in parallel on the I 2 C-bus via the second and further nodes. 
     
     
       13. The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured and arranged to control the communication of data bits in parallel on the I 2 C-bus over the data lines, in accordance with a protocol for communicating on the I 2 C-bus, to send an entire word or byte in a single operational I 2 C-bus cycle.